La Mia Puttana
by Beautiful Shiny People
Summary: Implicated CesarexLeo, EzioxLeo, AltairxLeo, AltMal RATING CHANGED  After losing everything, Leonardo owes a debt to the mafia, having to work and live at a whore house. The only way out is for the conflicting sides to go to war.
1. Chapter 1

_"Your spirits were rallied  
As you learned quick to make a fast buck.  
In bathrooms and barrooms,  
On dumpsters and heirlooms,  
We bit our tongues.  
Sucked our lips into our lungs  
'til we were falling.  
Such was our calling."_-'On the Bus Mall' The Decemberists

His hand tightens around the strap of his worn, red backpack; his beaten sneakers crunch on the wet pavement as he stops his quick stride to gaze at the person infront of him. "...what are you doing here?" Leonardo asks, his once bright green-blue eyes tired and lined by dark bags.

Ezio peers down at his friend, worry etching over his handsome features. He opens his mouth, but closes it, hands fisting at his sides.

Leonardo knows he looks worse for wear; every limb, joint, _cell_ aches with fatigue and stress. The blond man runs his tongue over his teeth and knows that he forgot to brush them earlier.

"Leonardo I-"

"Please, I need to get to work." He shoves past the darker haired man, staring down at the side walk; he gnaws at his bottom lip while the bouncer nods at him.

The bass thrums through his body, and dim purple and blinding strobe cast shadows over the masses of bodies piled into the relatively large room. Several stages, all a transparent blue, are placed in the middle of the room; women and men alike writhe on the poles, bodies scantily clad while money showers them like rain.

He feels himself gag.

"Wait!" A hand wraps around his frail wrist, causing Leonardo to stop and glance over his shoulder. A sob works its way up his throat, but the blond man tightly clamps his lips together as he stares at his once-friend. "Come back with me." Brown eyes are pleading, yet Leonardo knows that it would be impossible for him to live with this _new_ Ezio.

He tries to pull away, but Ezio's grip is strong around his wrist. The dimmed lights inside the club casts even deeper shadows under the blond male's eyes; Ezio feels shame drop deep into his gut as he pleads with Leonardo.

"Let go of me." The blond male mumbles, his other arm hanging limply by his side. He stares intently down at his feet, eyes tracing the gaudy criss-cross carpet.

He lost his home, his job, his best friend..._Dio mio, I love you, you oblivious bastard..._

Ezio tightens his grip, fixing his gaze on the shell of the man he used to know. He takes a deep breath, before releasing it. "No. I'm not going anywhere until you agree to come back and live with me."

_With you and your _wife_! I-it'll kill me, DON'T YOU REALIZE?_

"Ezio, _please_..." Leonardo drags his gaze from the floor and flickers it around the smoky room; colour drains from his face as his eyes lock with the owner, a scowl marring the man's mouth. Leonardo tugs at his captured wrist, thin fingers trying to pry away the other male's appendages. "Let go of me! People are beginning to stare!"

He's tugged close, and feels a large hand support the base of his skull. A shudder racks through his body as he feels Ezio's lips brush against the shell of his ear. "Please, Leonardo...I'm _begging_ you." Hot tears sting the back of the blond man's eyes, but he squeazes his lids closed. He can feel others turning to stare at them, but he can't hear their muttering over the volume of the bass. "I want to _help_ you, amico mio."

A sob bubbles out of his mouth, and he pushes away the man. Thin fingers grab at the expensive dress shirt covering Ezio's chest, and green-blue eyes are wild and over flowing with tears. "_THEN WHERE WERE YOU THE PAST TWO YEARS?_" He pushes away from his once-friend, sucking in a deep breath to try and calm himself.

Leonardo turns and walks away, hands going up to wrap around the straps of his back pack. In his head, events run through like mathmatical equations. Losing his job with Verrocchino, Lorenzo's death which in turn caused him to become homeless, Ezio disappearing for _no reason__..._

A loud yelp leaves his mouth as he's pushed against one of the walls. Leonardo's head smacks against the stucco plaster, causing his vision to briefly be blocked by white stars. "What was that?"

"Mi dispiace-"

"Obviously you're not," Leonardo opens his eyes, shuddering lightly at the dark look of anger covering Cesare's face. "You were upsetting my customers."

"Mi dispiace, Cesare, i-it won't happen again." He silently begs with the younger man, hands coming up to rest flat against his chest.

Cesare pauses, watching the tears run down Leonardo's face. A slow smirk rests on the corners of his mouth, and he pushes away from the pinned man. Cesare takes the blond male's chin between the tips of his fingers, pressing down until a soft yelp of pain leaves his favourite toy's mouth. "It better not, _amico mio_...though for the little incident, I'm going to dock your pay." The man recieves a watery glare, causing a loud bark of laughter to work its way from his mouth.

Cesare turns and strides down the hall to watch more of the 'acts'. He shoots a dark glance over his shoulder, a smirk evident in his tone of voice. "Now be a good puttana and make me some money."  
-


	2. Chapter 2

_I did my best, it wasn't much  
I couldn't feel, so I tried to touch  
I've told the truth, I didn't come to fool you  
And even though  
It all went wrong._  
-Hallelujah

"You look tired." With a thin hand, Leonardo rubs at his sleep-deprived eyes, grabbing the warm mug of coffee with his other hand.

Antonio sighs as he sits across from the slightly younger male, sipping at his own coffee while glancing about the small, crowded shop. Leonardo rests his head on his hand, lowering his lids over his dull blue-green eyes. "I had a...long night."

The darker haired male glowers down in his cup, fingers winding tighter around the chipped clay. "You know Rosa and I will help-"

"Amico mio, grazie but I _can't_..." Antonio's eyes flicker over Leonardo's shoulder, brows furrowing while a displeased frown works over his face.

The blond male jumps slightly when a throat is cleared behind him; he turns, opening his mouth to greet whomever it was interrupting Antonio and his conversation, but shuts his lips as his eyes fall to rest on Ezio.

Antonio stands, plastering a small fake smile on his face, throwing money down onto the table to cover both his and Leonardo's coffee. He places a hand none too gently on the other dark haired male, giving it a 'friendly' squeeze. "Ezio, glad to see you again." The older man turns waving a hand over his shoulder to Leonardo. "I'll see you later, amico mio."

An awkward silence falls on the two remaining men; Ezio sucks in a short breath before sitting down opposite of the blond man. Dark eyes try to capture blue-green, but the latter remain firmly glued to the table top. "Leonardo," Ezio begins, sighing while a hand goes to grab the blond man's. It's snatched away, and rests on Leonardo's lap. "I'm...sorry about just dropping by your...work like that yesterday."

Leonardo remains silent, shame heating his cheeks while his fingers fiddled with a small rip on his pants. Ezio looks away, teeth worrying at the scar situated at the corner of his mouth. The blond man glances up, glaring at the gold wedding band resting neatly around his former friend's ring finger. He feels jealousy well in his gut, but Leonardo swallows the bitter tasting feeling and lets out a wavering sigh. "It's fine." He lies, and the blond man _knows_ Ezio can tell.

Dark eyes flicker to meet his own blue-green; a frown flirts with the scarred corner of the younger man's mouth, and he turns to fully face the former painter. "How did _that_ happen?"

Leonardo leans back in his chair, gnawing roughly at his bottom lip, cringing when he tastes copper on his tongue. "I lost my job at the University with Verrocchino."

"Why?"

The blond man scowls, running a thin hand down his face. He takes a long swig of his coffee, sighing into the cup while Ezio impatiently waits for an answer. "There was an accusation that I had a...sexual relationship with one of my students." Dark eyes blink in shock; Leonardo bitterly sets the mug on the table, grabbing a napkin to crumple. "It wasn't...false, but apparently he grew tired of me."

A silence grows once more between the two of them; Ezio fiddles with his ring, twisting the metal around his finger with each passing moment. "Couldn't you find a job somewhere else though?"

Leonardo doesn't answer right away, instead he shrinks down in his seat, eyelids closing tiredly. He yawns loudly, frowning and runs a hand again over his eyes. "I can't."

"Why not?"

Blue-green eyes glance from right to left, knowing that Cesare could have soldatos watching him at this very moment. He leans closer, clenching his napkin between his fingers. "I...owe money to Cesare Borgia-"

"WHAT?" Several people turn at the younger man's shot; Leonardo gives him a short look, mentally telling the young man to sit.

Ezio growls and leans closer, a look of anger crossing over his face at the former-painter's foolishness. "Why would you do something as stupid as _that_?" He hisses, hands tightening to fists on the table. "He's the Borgia family's Capo Bastone, don't you know that?"

"I was stupid okay?" Leonardo throws the napkin onto the table, voice wavering with frustrated anger. He swallows down an angered sob, and fixes a glare on his once-friend. "H-he told me that he would help me get a job and a house after Lorenzo died..." The blond man covers his face with his hands, breathing deeply to keep his tired tears at bay.

"...and you believed him." Ezio's voice is flat, and Leonardo can hear the barely contained anger under the emotionless mask. He nods behind his hands, not wanting to see the younger man's face. A long sigh leaves Ezio's mouth; he runs a hand through his long hair, glancing over at a table of men sitting across the room. "...have you slept with anyone?"

Leonardo feels his face heat again; he snatches his hands away from his face, giving the younger man an outraged glare, but drops his eyes to his hands after a moment. "No...but Cesare is pushing for me to. 'It's good for business' apparently."

Ezio drags his eyes away from the men and turns to his once friend; he studies Leonardo's thin face, taking note of the hollowed cheeks and almost dead eyes. His mouth thins to a line, and he grabs the blond's hands. "Let me help you, amico mio."

Leonardo frowns again, trying to tug his hands from the younger man's cluches. "I'm not going to accept your money, Ezio."

The darker haired male's grip tightens, watching as Leonardo lets out a small gasp of pain. "If not money then let me do _something_. Let me get you _out_ of that place, Leo; come stay with Caterina and I-"

Finally Leonardo frees his hands, standing from his seat. Fists at his side, tears obscure his gaze; Leonardo gulps, not caring if he makes a scene or not. "You think that you can come back into my life after two years of me _waiting_ and expect for you to be my hero? _Please_, Ezio...I can't invade on your happiness with Caterina, it would _kill_ me."

The man turns, scrubbing away his tears with the sleeve of his jacket. People watch, whispering amongst themselves while the group of men stare at the skinny blond.

Leonardo looks over his shoulder, arms going limp and falling to his sides. "Ti amo, Ezio."

_Ffffff I don't know if this is going to turn into a multi-chaptered thing, but I have ideas for this universe..._

_Posted this on dA, but I liked the idea so much that I'm posting it here. :D_


	3. Chapter 3

_The Wanton, though she knows its danger  
must needs smear kohl about her eyes  
and catch the attention of a stranger  
with drawn-out, erotic sighs. _-Edward Gorey

Rebecca slams the heavy shot glass onto the chipped bar's surface; her mouth is a thin line, and her dark brows are furrowed in confusion and anger. "_What_?" She snaps, causing Leonardo to flinch into his bowl of cereal.

"You heard what I said, Rebecca." he says softly, scooping another spoonful of cereal into his mouth.

The daytime bartender groans, pressing the tips of her thumbs against her eyelids. "Yeah, I did...but Leo," The woman peers at him, dark eyes tired looking. "I've only know you since you started 'working' here...you and I are friends, right?"

"Of course."

"Then why didn't you tell me about owing money!"

Leonardo sighs and runs a hand through his bed ragged hair. His eyes close in fatigue, and his shoulders sag. "Mi dispiace." He whispers, blue-green eyes peering up at the woman from under long blond eyelashes.

Rebecca puts away another shot glass and leans forward on the bar. For a moment, she stares at the blond, teeth chewing the inside of her mouth. "...is that why that guy's been harassing you?"

Leonardo finishes his breakfast and yawns softly into the back of his hand. "I don't owe him anything, if that's what you're wondering." The blond rests his chin on his fist, gnawing at his bottom lip for a moment. "I've known Ezio for years...we were friends." Rebecca pats the painter-turned-stripper's hand; she nods for him to go one, using the same face that she saves for the weepy drunks. "Becca...dio mio, I love him!" Leonardo gulps down tears and rubs at his eyes. He glowers down at the bar top, sighing. "Yet he doesn't love me..."

Rebecca nods sympathetically, crossing her arms in front of her chest. Her dark eyes are sad, and her expression pained. "You're in love with someone you can never have..." She turns and slides a beer down the bar to a sad looking customer; glancing over her shoulder, Rebecca gives the blond a small smile. "I've been there, Leo...but you can't let the heartache ruin your life. Hey, pay off your debt and _do_ something...for me, 'kay?"

* * *

Leonardo is thankful that he doesn't have to work the pole that night.

He adjusts the heavy tray of beer on his shoulder, giving a small smile to Desmond, the evening bartender. The young man gives him a charming grin before turning to a customer waving money in his face. Leonardo's smile drops as he turns away from the bar, moving rather well in the high-heeled boots strapped to his feet; the blond sighs lightly, walking over to the table that ordered the drinks. It is a bachelorette party, and it's quite obvious that the 'blushing bride-to-be' is very intoxicated.

Leonardo gives the women a bright smile, turning away only to yelp in surprise when a feminine hand slaps his ass. _Dio Mio..._

Cesare stands by the back area, arms crossed over his expensive shirt. Dark eyes fall on Leonardo, who shudders but gives the mafia underboss a quick smile. _No need to anger him._ The blond thinks, curling his arms around the large serving tray, holding it close to his scantily clad chest.

Leonardo glances over his shoulder as he stands at the bar; he had been previously watching Desmond mix drinks with blinding speed, paying attention (but not really) to the young man's flashy movements. Blue-green eyes scan for his dark-haired 'boss' (_owner _really is the appropriate term, in his case); the strobe and black lights stall the blond's search, but soon it proves fruitful.

His gaze stop onto the younger man; the underboss looks to be arguing with another man who is lounging on one of the plush couches as if _he_ owns the place. Blond eyebrows furrow when Cesare suddenly looks up at him, a dark scowl covering his handsome face as he thrusts a finger in his direction. Leonardo mentally sighs, wondering what on Earth the man could possibly want; the blond spares a glance at the order waiting patiently on his large circular tray before quickly making his way over to the group of gentlemen.

Cesare is in a heated staring match with the other man, not even sparing a glance at Leonardo as he waited for the answer to his summoning. The underboss growls lightly, turning his gaze away from calm, gold eyes, to give the blond an offhand glare. He addresses the man with an acidic tone, keeping his eyes on Leonardo. "_He's_ why you're here, isn't he."

The other man lazily drags his eyes from Cesare to rest on Leonardo; the blond can't help but notice that this man and Ezio look alike, although this man seems coiled like a snake ready to strike. (Leonardo also thinks that this man and Desmond looked alike, and wonders if they could be related somehow.) A small smirk flirts with the scarred edge of the stranger's mouth as he crosses one leg at the knee; the blond feels his cheeks heat at the appreciative once-over, and he wants nothing more than to cover every inch of exposed skin. "Perhaps..." The man has an accent, though it's just a whisper on the single word's syllables.

Leonardo looks down at the floor, shifting his weight from one high-heeled foot to the other. Cesare's glare intensifies as it scans the group of men clustered around the _annoyance_; he quickly notes that all of the men have guns strapped to their thighs, and are probably wielding some other sort of weapon on their person. "Are you sure you're not here because of..._business _concerning the Auditore?" Blue-green eyes flicker up to the younger man at the mention of the name, and a soft sort of hurt look comes to his face.

The man gives the Borgia underboss a 'friendly' smile laced with bad promises. "Merely pleasure, Borgia. After all, I heard that you have some of the best whores in the entire city." A corner of Leonardo's mouth drags down at the word, and his thin hands fist at his sides. "I'll pay any price," The man leans forward while the other men around him begin to move for their guns. "Name it."

There's a pregnant pause between the two mafia leaders; Leonardo holds his breath while the bass thrums through his posed body. Cesare lets a whistle of air pass between his pursed lips, hands sliding casually into the pockets of his black pants. He eyes the man, seemingly not worried about several guns being cocked around him; the corners of his mouth turn up in a small, greedy smile, and Leonardo watches the other man's smile slide into a smug smirk. "_Any_ price?...fine."

* * *

The room is gaudy, just like the entire establishment. Leonardo stares blankly down at his feet, eyes tracing the curves of his shoes, mentally drawing a picture in his head. The 'business transaction' was being completed just outside the door; the blond felt ready to weep and rage in frustration at the same time. _I'm about to sleep with a man I don't even know..._Leonardo swallows thickly, hearing the low voices outside of the room stop. _And how Cesare is acting...this man is most likely acapo famiglia..._

The door behind him closes silently, and Leonardo turns to stare at the man he is supposed to spend the night with. Gold eyes stare back, and the man stalks up to the blond like a tiger. A small strangled noise comes from the painter-turned-stripper as the man leans down and takes the lobe of his ear between his teeth. "I'm going to tell you something important, alright?" A hot tongue massages the slightly abused skin, causing Leonardo to gasp lightly. "There are cameras in this room, make it a good show."

The blond blinks, but is pushed back onto the bed; he stares up at the mirrored ceiling, hands loosely curling on his stomach. The darker complected man hovers over him, moving his hands on either side of Leonardo's head, and leans down, attacking the blond's neck with quick bites. "There is going to be an ambush later tonight-" Calloused fingers (fingers that know how to work a gun; know how to _kill _people) slide under the leather straps criss-crossing Leonardo's chest. A nipple is tweaked and played with, causing a soft, breathy moan to leave the blond's lips, only for them to be clamped down in shame. The man leans up again, biting harshly down on Leonardo's neck. "Stay out of sight until _I_ come and get you."

Leonardo swallows again, gnawing on the inside of his cheek, "Wh-_ah..._" The man's fingers dance down the blond's exposed stomach, tracing the sensitive skin with expertise.

"Do not speak." Is the growled command. Fingernails firmly scrape over the blond's stomach, sliding the tips under the lip of his pants. "I'm doing this because _The Company _is on friendly terms with the Auditore, _understand_?" Leonardo nods distractedly, watching with wide blue-green eyes as the man's hand slides further into his pants. Calloused fingers begin to work on the blond's sex, coaxing the appendage into arousal.

The blond bites on his knuckles and closes his eyes as pleasure racks his too thin frame. The man is fully undressing him now, and Leonardo can feel cool air lick at his even more exposed skin. From behind the thin walls of the private room, the blond can hear the hoots and howls of men as another person takes to the stage.

He gasps when a nail digs lightly into the slit of his sex; tears dot the corners of Leonardo's eyes as his lid flutter open to see the man smirking down at him. The action pulls at the scar running vertically down the man's lips, and maybe...maybe Leonardo can pretend? But the man is too rough, and his fingers too calloused. The blond chokes on his groan of pain when one of those rough fingers probe deeply; he bites harshly down on his bottom lip and looks up while the man fiddles with the belt of his pants.

_I'm getting _fingered_ by a man I don't even know...and I'm about to have sex with him for _money.

A small sob bubbles from Leonardo's mouth, and the man's gold eyes flicker up to meet his glassy blue-green. For a moment, it seems as if the man considers not moving any further, but with a glance to one of the 'mirrors', his hand resumes its fiddling.

Leonardo closes his eyes, holding his breath, waiting for the man to penetrate and get it over with. A finger slides down his jaw line, tracing around his lips. "Relax." He feels lips lightly kiss the corner of his mouth, and a slightly confused look crosses over Leonardo's face until a loud yelp leaves his throat as the man thrusts forward.

The blond squeezes his eyes closed, seeing stars at how tightly his lids are pressed together. He hears the man above him hiss, and a small whimper to gather in his throat. "Re...lax..." The man grunts, fingers grabbing at Leonardo's hips. The blond quakes, but forces down a large gulp of air; he looks at the ceiling. It's not like he _hasn't_ done this before...normally though it was with someone he _knew_ and (thought) he trusted.

He gnaws at his bottom lip, willing his muscles to relax while his fingers claw at the (dirty) sheet underneath him. The man paces himself, thrusting slowly, allowing the blond to adjust. His four-fingered hand moves from the once-artist's hips to his slowly deflating sex; he angles himself, dark gold eyes watching the blond intently as he pumps his hand. With a sharp thrust, the man smirks when his assumption proves correct, watching as the blond gasps out in pleasure.

Leonardo's eyes open wide, a low keen rips from his throat. The man thrust again, hand squeezing the once-artist's sex; they make a haphazard rhythm, grunting and groaning for the camera.

* * *

Cesare glares at the monitor, watching as his favourite whore moans and clings to the '_paying customer_'. A deep frown crosses over his mouth; a hand moves blindly to pick up his still burning cigarette. Dark eyes watch as Leonardo arches off the bed, the four fingered hand of _that bastard_ becoming covered in the one-artist's semen.

"Sir?" Cesare turns, a passive expression on his face as he lifts the cigarette to his lips.

"What is it, Serge?" He lets smoke fall from his mouth; he watches as the short man straightens, knowing the displeased look in his boss' eyes didn't bode well for anyone.

"Vieri d'Pazzi, sir, he was..." Cesare's eyes narrowed, causing Serge to swallow thickly. "He was found murdered outside of his father's bank."

The underboss stubs out his cigarette, swiftly standing from his large office chair. Serge cowers slightly, watching with baited breath as the dark haired male stares down at the monitor. The soldier eyes the screen, secretly enjoying the show as one of the club's whores begins to redress.

Cesare lifts a hand, violently swiping the monitor off the table, causing a loud crash to echo through out the office. He clenches his teeth, glaring darkly at the pieces of broken glass littering his Persian rug. "'_Pleasure'_ my ass!" He growls, huffing lightly. After a short moment of silence, Cesare turns to the other man, a calm expression on his face.

"Serge...come here." The soldier hesitates, but moves closer to the underboss. Sweat beads at his brow, eyes locked with the strangely serene black gaze.

"S-sir?" A loud gunshot cracks the silence that had previously been weighing down the room; a hollow thump follows.

Cesare sighs, tossing the handgun onto his desk, expensive shoes crunching over the glass as he makes his way over to his doorway. "A person can't find good help these days..."

* * *

_GAH AN UPDATE? REALLY! Haha sorry about such a long wait, school has been a bitch. Cesare, you crazy mother fucker. Let me tell you, the lemon between Altair and Leonardo was HARD to write (haha _hard_) _

_Please review!_


	4. Chapter 4

The bagman's quaking at the fingers

_The hand-off glance a little lingers_  
_A well-dressed man in the crosshairs_  
_A shot rings out from somewhere upstairs-_The Perfect Crime

"Altair." The man in question turns, hands stuffed into his pockets and posture seemingly relaxed. A smirk comes to his mouth as another man steps out of a car, head of messy black hair easily recognizable.

"Malik, nice to see you." Altair dips his head once, looking down at the shorter male as he pulls a sour looking face. Malik takes out a pack of cigarettes, sliding one into his mouth one handed, quickly lighting the white tube of tobacco. He doesn't offer one out of kindness, glowering lightly over the dully glowing orange ball on the end. Altair waits for the snippy response.

"Idiot, how long does it take to warn a person?" They begin walking down the sidewalk, away from prying ears. Altair relaxes somewhat, knowing that his men are well hidden, all thanks to the man standing beside him.

He laughs shortly, quickly snatching the pack of cigarettes from Malik's pocket, earning him a sidelong glare. "I had to get him alone." Malik takes a long drag of the cigarette, letting the smoke loose with a loud sigh. He clears his throat, flicking the butt onto the ground to crush with his boot.

"So you...slept with him."

"Yes."

Altair doesn't miss the frown on his friend's face, but Malik quickly changes his expression; the man rolls his dark eyes, chewing on the inside of his mouth. "Does he understand what's going to happen?"

The mafia leader flicks his own butt to one side, ignoring the still glowing stick in favour of giving Malik a lewd smile. "I think I _drove the point home_."

The other man flushes and a strangled noise leaves his mouth. He growls and punches Altair with enough force to put him off balance. "Idiot, even if you are my boss, you still act like a child."

* * *

Leonardo glowers at himself in the bathroom, lightly touching a bruise (_bite mark..._) on his neck. He chews on his lip, flushing as he remembers rough fingers on his skin and teeth marking _everything_. With a groan, the former artists runs his hands through his sex tangled hair, glaring daggers at his ragged looking reflection. "Great Leonardo, you really _are_a whore now." The blond sinks to the dirty bathroom floor, stretching his legs out in front of him.

_What would Ezio think_? Another growl leaves Leonardo's mouth and he shakes his head to clear any thoughts of the Auditore out of his brilliant mind.

_"There is going to be an ambush later tonight, stay out of sight until _I _come to get you._"

Leonardo blinks, eyebrows furrowing as the man's voice echoed in his head._ Wait...he said something about the _Auditore_...and something about being on good terms with them. An ambush...wait..._The blond stripper is pulled out of his thoughts by a man quickly pushing open the door. Leonardo's head snaps up, apology quickly dying on his lips as he sees the expression on Desmond's face.

"What's wrong?" He tries to stand quickly but the high-heeled boots make it hard for him to balance. Blue-green eyes widen when the bartender wordlessly pulls out a handgun; a small noise leaves the blond's mouth as Desmond shoots him a quick glance.

"Don't worry, it's not for you." The darker haired male cocks the gun, his other hand blindly reaching into his pants pocket to retreve a disposable cell. A short, low beep comes from the phone; Desmond instantly answers, his normally easy-going demeanor turning reserved. "...yeah...of course..." The young man glances quickly at the confused blond, giving him a short smile of comfort before returning his attention to the person on the other end. "Yeah, see you." His thumb presses the end button, and a short sigh leaves his lips.

Desmond turns his full attention to Leonardo, lazily putting the phone back into his black dress pants pocket. The gun rests heavily in his other hand, but the bartender offers a grin. "So I bet you're wondering what's going on right?"

Leonardo gulps and nods, sinking to the ground with wide eyes. His heart thrums against his breast bone as he stares up at the young man he had once thought of as lazy. Desmond pauses before locking the door behind him; sinking down beside the blond, the bartender leans his head against the dirty bathroom wall. He closes his eyes before speaking. "Well...okay, so I saw you...met Altair-" Leonardo flushed, hands tightening into fists on the floor. "Well he's sorta...my boss I guess you could say? Really we're cousins, but anyway...The Company is on good terms with the Auditore and since you're important to the Auditore's underboss...he asked for Altair's help."

Desmond checks his cell phone's clock, scarred side of his mouth turning downward for a moment until a strained sigh travels out of his throat. He stands and glances down at Leonardo; the gun loosely hangs at his side, and the young man taps it against his thigh as dark eyes flicker from the blond's face to the door. "Alright...I'm gonna leave you here but you _have_ to keep out of sight until Altair comes to get you _got it_? You remember what he looks like right?" Leonardo flushes as Desmond gives him a knowing look; the stripper nods slowly, mind slowly processing the new information given to him.

The bartender nods shortly and slips out of the bathroom. Leonardo hears a muffled conversation before a gunshot goes off

* * *

Altair hisses as he holds his gun tightly to himself. Bullets streak past, hitting the wall he was behind, chipping off plaster and causing plumes of dust to erupt from the cracks. The man looks up, seeing his cousin fire off a few rounds then ducking down behind an over turned table. "You're sure Cesare fled?" Desmond looks up and nods soundlessly, not flinching as a bullet flies straight over his head.

A growl leaves Altair's mouth; he turns and takes deadly aim on one of the Borgia soldiers, smiling grimly to himself as the man falls with a thud. "He's in the bathroom; remember that the Auditore want him in one piece!" Altair snorts to himself, breaking out into a sprint, dodging bullets while he runs through the heart of the battle.

He lifts a hand, finger pumping the trigger, causing the Borgia soldiers to fall and groan as the bullets ripped through their flesh. He grunts in pain as one grazes his shoulder; teeth clenched in pain, Altair ducks behind a stage, emptying his gun into the three men that had been foolish enough to chase after him.

Blood and brain matter splatter the floor as a bullet rips through their skulls. Altair turns away, walking calmly toward the back rooms where he remembered the 'private' bathrooms for the workers were.

He presses an ear against the thin door, quietly assessing if there is anyone in the room besides the blond stripper. He opens the door, watching as the blond man looks up from having his face buried in his knees. Blue-green eyes widen and the skinny man stands shakily, quickly moving to the Company's boss. "Come." Altair turns, glancing left to right to make sure there aren't any 'pests' that need to be taken care of.

"Wait." The man turns at the soft command, his expression blank as the stripper meets his eyes. Teeth gnaw at a plush bottom lip, and Altair watches the action with intense golden eyes. The blond furrows his eyebrows and a frown graces his mouth. "Have you...killed Cesare?" Altair can see that, although the Borgia underboss humiliated this man, he was appalled at the idea of violence against his fellow man. An inaudible scoff falls from his lips and he turns, grabbing the stripper's dainty wrist.

"No. He fled like a roach."

They move into the main section of the club; Altair feels the man beside him tense at the scene of death. The coppery smell of blood assaults their noses, causing the stripper to gag silently.

He scans the room, watching as his own men search the bodies of the Borgia soldiers for any information of Cesare's destination. Desmond walks up to them, running a hand through his shortly cropped hair, letting his hand flop to his side. Altair raises an eyebrow in a silent question; a sigh comes from his cousin, and a frown drags down the bartender's mouth. "Nothing." He says, turning to the stripper. A soft smile replaces the frown, and a hand falls to rest on the blond's shoulder. "But, I'm glad to see that you're okay Leonardo."

Altair glances to the other man, watching as Leonardo relaxes slightly at seeing that the young man was unharmed. Blue-green eyes glance to the bodies littering the ground, and the colour drains from his face. "Was this all really necessary?" The question is directed toward him as Leonardo turns fully to him. Fingers tighten lightly around the blond's wrist, and Altair can see the man clench his teeth in pain.

"War is necessary to bring peace." Leonardo opens his mouth to say more, but Altair turns away, releasing his wrist. "Desmond, take him to headquarters; get him something more appropriate to wear." He ignored the glare that the blond gave him.

* * *

_Meh, I don't really like the ending of this chapter...buut more Altair/Leonardo interaction; They're gonna bump heads more on the issue of violence. Don't worry, Ezio will make his _fabulous _appearance again soon. haha Please review and tell me what you think!_


	5. Chapter 5

_Stand accusing across_  
_I've got a temper set for tender_  
_And you were shrugging it off like a feather_  
_Saying, "Oh, would you look at this weather?"-'Record Year'_The Decemberists

_It's been four days_. Leonardo stares at the wall across from his bed, arms wrapping around his knees and pulling them close to his chest. Although he feels warmer, and more rested since being brought to the Company's hideout, the blond can still feel the nagging prodding in the back of his head, telling him to worry because Cesare has eyes _everywhere_. His stomach growls, causing a small sigh to leave his lips as the former-artist/stripper slides off the bed.

Leonardo glances out of the doorway, teeth chewing on the inside of his mouth as his eyes are met with the empty, early-morning hall. Everyone is still asleep,even the couple of people who dropped by late last night. The blond's feet are silent against the hardwood floor; he passes closed doors, mapping out the warehouse's interior in his head. It's been a boring four days, he's had time on his hands.

Leonardo stops at seeing a sliver of light falling from the cracked door of the kitchen. He peers around the corner, gaze only falling on his rather quiet 'host' leaning against the kitchen counter, glaring at the coffee pot. The blond pushes open the door, wincing at the low creak that comes from the old hinges; Altair's eyes quickly snap to meet his, and Leonardo flashes him a tired smile. "Buongiorno." Altair grunts, turning back to the bubbling coffee pot.

Sitting at the rather scratched kitchen table, Leonardo awkwardly drums his fingertips on the wood. His brilliant mind runs through topics in order to make the feeling of being totally awkward go away. "Stop." Leonardo's fingers freeze over the top of the table and blue-green eyes snap up to see Altair glaring lightly at him.

Leonardo quickly lowers his eyes, lacing his fingers together. "Mi dispiace." He hears a small sigh and then the scraping of wood against tile.

"...here." An off-white mug is thrust into his hands; Leonardo looks back up to the mafia boss, a bright smile lighting up his entire visage. He notices with surprise the lightest shade of pink ghosting over Altair's cheeks.

"Thank you...um..." Leonardo looks at the plain black brew resting in the cup. "Could you hand me the cream and sugar please?" He hears a slightly exaggerated sigh and the requested items are nearly slammed onto the table.

The silence becomes some-what comfortable. Leonardo watches as Altair shifts through various papers and sips at his coffee; from time to time, golden eyes flicker up meet blue-green. The blond flashes the mafia boss a smile and moves to get more coffee. "Do you like riddles?" Altair's pen moves across a map; he hums and watches while Leonardo sits back across from him. The genius swipes his tongue over his lips, oblivious to the way Altair's eyes zero-in on the action. He thinks for a moment, fingers unconsciously drumming on the table top.

"Ah!" Leonardo gives him a smile, happy to exercise his intellect again. "How will you behead sixty-eight and leave eighteen?"

Altair lifts his cup to his mouth, slowly sipping at the brew while mulling the question over in his mind. He sets the mug down and looks directly at the blond while flashing a smirk. "Remove L from LXVIII and you're left with XVIII." The mafia boss stands, plucking the mug and refilling it.

Leonardo laughs quietly and rests his chin on his hand. "Very good, my friend."

Altair sits back down across from the blond, forgetting his papers in favour of a welcome distraction. Golden eyes watch as his new house guest stirs cream and sugar into his coffee, grimacing when the flavour was too bitter, and adding more white powder. Altair's lids fall to half-mast, a small inquisitive frown dipping the scarred side of his mouth slightly. He would like to know more about his new guest and his...relationship with the Auditore.

They trade riddles back and forth for an hour; Leonardo fills the drawn-out pauses with idle chat, talking about science and art with a passion that doesn't surprise his quiet host. The blond stops mid-sentence and lowers his gesturing hands to the table. He sighs and flushes embarrassingly, "I was ranting wasn't I?" He says sheepishly. Altair glances up from a map, pen in hand and an amused smirk gracing his lips.

"Perhaps a little."

Leonardo's retort is cut off by Desmond walking in, yawning loudly and tugging a white shirt over his head. The mafia boss' smirk drops to a frown, and a small glare is sent his cousin's way. Desmond fills up his own mug, wincing at how hot the brew is before flopping onto the seat beside the blond. "Mornin'." The young man yawns, resting his chin on his hand.

Leonardo gives him a cheerful reply, the caffeine buzzing through his veins. Blue-green eyes flicker to unamused gold and he stands, gathering his mug to put in the sink. "I see that you have...work to do." The blond pats Desmond's sleepy head, causing him to jolt awake and stare dazedly at his host. Leonardo gives Altair a nod, corners of his mouth curling upwards as he walks out of the kitchen. "It was nice speaking to you, Altair."

Desmond blinks as the kitchen door swings shut, his tired mind finally becoming charged with precious caffeine. He watches the exchange between guest and host before his dark brown-gold eyes swing over to his cousin. "...what the hell was that?"

Altair lifts his mug to his lips, finishing off the beverage with a small slurp. "I have no idea what you're talking about."

* * *

_I'm having far too much fun writing this. Some more AltxLeo interaction, but don't worry everyone, Ezio will be coming in shortly._


	6. Chapter 6

_He asked us what our favorite work of art was,_  
_But never could I tell it was him_  
_Oh, I wish I could tell him-_'The Art Teacher' Rufus Wainwright

Malik glares up from the table, his irritation felt by the many people around him at the very late arrival of the person responsible for this war. "Look who decided to make an appearance." The one-armed man growls. His intimidation tactic is only met with a large yawn coming from the Auditore underboss.

"My flight in Roma was delayed." Ezio swiftly sits down beside his uncle, waving away his lateness with a sweep of his hand. "Mi dispiace." Altair gracefully rolls his eyes, disliking this _boy_ for his lack of respect; the mafia leader stands and crosses his arms over his chest, giving the people in the room the once over.

"Since our _guest_ decided to actually show up, perhaps he would care to explain _why_he had gone to Italy in the first place." Ezio gives a small glare to his ally, lip curling at the arrogant mafia leader before standing with a flourish. He gives an easy-going smile to the group of people, eyeing them all to see if they could be possible threats.

"I was in Italia gathering information over the Borgia and also when the Borgia capo famiglia will be back in the United States." He spreads his hands out over the table top, flexing his fingers as he stretches. Ezio grins up at Altair, grudgingly admiring the older male, and disliking him. "My job is done for now, did you hold up your end of the deal?"

Altair glowers down at the young man, blank face slowly morphing into a frown. He raises an eyebrow and tilts his head toward the door. "Leonardo is somewhere in the warehouse-"

"What? He's here?" Ezio stands, chair scooting back on the tiles squeaking loudly and causing the others in the room to flinch. He marches up to Altair, a deep frown digging deep into his face. "Why didn't you take him somewhere else? Out of the country perhaps?" Altair growls, a dark glare fixed on the brash young man. Ezio turns away from the mafia boss, legs quickly taking him to the kitchen door.

"He doesn't want to see you." Ezio pauses, hand posed to push open the door. He turns, dark brown-gold gaze focusing on only the mafia leader.

"What are you talking about?" Altair smirks when his words hit home; he likes the tension in the young Auditore's shoulders. A deep frown is on Ezio's face as he glares daggers at the older man.

"How do you know what he wants?" Ezio's voice holds a note of curious jealousy; he turns fully to face the mafia leader, squaring his shoulders so he stands his full height, as tall as the man he is facing off against.

Altair opens his mouth to retort, but Shaun, a new recruit of the Company's, cuts through it like a bitter knife. "If you two are _done_fighting over someone like pre-teen girls, let's start this meeting, eh?"

* * *

Leonardo's hands twitch over the card-stock paper, and in one set of fingers, he holds a shivering pen. A pleased flush covers his lightly freckled face; he can't wait to get back to finally creating again.

The blond presses the nub of the pen against the paper, using finely honed movements to begin sketching. The beginnings of a face start to appear before his eyes, the shape of a cheek, the arch of an eyebrow. Leonardo stops before angrily crumpling the paper into a wad; he rubs the heel of his hand into one eye, groaning in irritation.

A short knock pulls Leonardo out of his self-imposed angst; he calls for them to come in, but his voice cracks. Altair walks in smoothly, eyes darting about the room in cautious paranoia. Leonardo smiles largely at his host, eagerly standing to allow the man to sit at his makeshift desk.

Altair refuses, hands moving into the nearly invisible pockets of his white hoodie. Gold eyes fix onto Leonardo, causing the blond to almost shrink back. "...how do you know Ezio Auditore." It's not really phrased as a question, and Leonardo knows that his host will expect answers.

The blond gulps and fidgets with his hands. "Old friends from school...we've known each other for sometime."

Altair scoffs lightly, bending to pick up the crumpled drawing. He scowls when he sees the smirking visage of the Auditore underboss on the card-stock. "'Old friends' would not go to such trouble as he has for you." Jealousy tastes bitter in his mouth; Altair glares down at the paper before tightly clenching it in his fist.

Leonardo blinks at the mafia boss before flushing brightly. "We are-were-old friends from school." He chews on the inside of his cheek, tongue prodding at a small sore he's chewed into the flesh. Altair gazes at him expectantly, card-stock Ezio being squeezed to death in one fist. The blond sighs at the mafia leader's level stare and lifts a hand to rub at the back of his neck. "We were involved for a short while. Experimentation on his part, I suppose, affection on mine." Leonardo bitterly laughs and sinks into his office chair, holding his head with the tips of his fingers.

Altair loosens his fingers, hearing the soft 'plonk' of paper hitting sparsely carpeted ground. "And then what happened?" His tone, although still gruff, has softened some what, almost like he's trying not to scare off an animal.

Leonardo's eyes have slid closed, and a frown has daintily settled over his lips. "He...left. After cheating on me, he left. Gone. _Arrivederci_." Blue-green lift to gold, and a weak laugh tumbles from the blond's mouth. "I'm pathetic, aren't I? After that, after all of _this_," The blond swallows his self-pitying tears and scrubs a hand down his face. "I still love him."

Altair bites his tongue and stares down into blue-green. Jealousy rears her ugly head, scraping at his gut viciously, causing a deep frown to over take his mouth. The mafia leader shifts from one foot to the other and shoves his hands into his hoodie pockets. "...you are pathetic." Altair doesn't feel bad for what he's saying, though somewhere in the back of his mind, he feels guilt for the softly hurt expression crossing Leonardo's face. "Pining for someone who doesn't want you...it's weak."

The mafia leader turns on his heel and stalks back over to the bedroom door. He pauses and looks at the artist from the corner of his eye; Altair tries to pay no mind to the tears welling in those blue-green eyes, and tells himself the blond needed to hear the truth. "You...should get some rest."

He leaves the room, closing the door behind him and sighing. Gold eyes closes briefly until a creak from a floor board down the hall causes them to pop open in attention. The mafia leader turns and glowers, his glare meeting the glare of the Auditore underboss.

Ezio takes a step forward, chin held up in defiance toward the older man. "You were talking to Leonardo, weren't you?" Altair smirks at the paranoid jealousy lacing the Auditore's words.

The mafia leader moves fluidly into a relaxed posture, brushing past the younger male to go to his own bedroom. "As I have told you before, _boy_, he doesn't wish to see you." Altair looks over his shoulder to give Ezio a wicked smirk. "You should have stopped pussyfooting around and you should've _taken_ what you had wanted."

* * *

_Oh goodness girls, stop fighting, you're both pretty. :T haha I hope you all had wonderful Holidays! I hope that this is good enough for you guys to be considered a present...I'm too cheap to actually BUY you all something! You guys are great! Suggestions for the quotes I put at the beginning of the chapters? _


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